Kataha JimeHow it works and how to improve it

01 / AT A GLANCE

A lapel strangle that lifts one arm out of the way

Kataha-jime (片羽絞) is one of the twelve shime-waza (strangling techniques) in the Kodokan list of technique names, inside the katame-waza (grappling) group, where it is listed between okuri-eri-jime and katate-jime. The characters read “one” (片), “wing” (羽) and “strangle” (絞); the IJF gives the English name “single-wing strangle”. The wing is uke’s left arm, which your left arm raises and holds out of the way.

The IJF definition is brief and complete. From behind, your right arm reaches round the neck to grip uke’s left lapel. Your left hand slips under uke’s left armpit and round to the back of the neck, so that “the back of your left hand is against the back of his neck”. The strangle comes from pulling with the right hand and pushing with the left.

That is what separates it from its neighbours. Okuri-eri-jime also starts with the right hand on the left lapel and the left hand under the left armpit, but the left hand then takes a lapel. Hadaka-jime uses no judogi at all. In kataha-jime the left hand grips nothing: it works with its back against uke’s neck while the left arm lifts uke’s left arm.

Reader: a judoka whose coach has already taught how strangles are applied, tapped and released in their club. This page is a study companion for supervised practice and cannot replace that lesson. Practice never continues towards unconsciousness.

Names you will meet: Kodokan and IJF both spell it “Kataha-jime”. You will also see “kata-ha-jime” and “kata ha jime”, for example in some coaching videos and encyclopaedias, and the English “single-wing strangle” or “single wing choke”. One coaching channel’s description also mentions “chicken wing choke”. All of these describe the same Kodokan technique; “kata-ha” is not a combination of kata-gatame and another technique.

02 / WATCH THE TECHNIQUE

The Kodokan demonstration and a coach’s class notes

We stepped through this clip at intervals of a few seconds rather than frame by frame. What we could see: uke sits on the mat with both legs stretched out in front, and tori is behind, higher than uke. Tori’s right arm crosses in front of uke’s neck and the right hand holds uke’s left lapel high, near the collar. Tori’s left arm passes under uke’s left arm and raises it, so uke’s left hand points upward. A view from behind shows tori’s left hand behind uke’s neck with uke’s left arm lifted beside the head, and a close-up of the neck briefly carries an on-screen line graphic. Later, in a wider shot, uke’s seated trunk is no longer upright. We do not interpret that tilt as a required part of the finish; ask your coach what it shows.

Watch it with the IJF wording beside you and look for four things in turn: how high the right hand sits on the left lapel; the moment uke’s left arm goes up; where the back of tori’s left hand ends; and whether the two hands act at the same time. Mark anything the camera hides as “not visible”.

We have not reviewed this coaching video by playback, so no specific instruction on this page is attributed to it. Its publisher chapter list is a useful map: definition (0:00), Donn Draeger’s explanation (0:08), demonstration (0:22), kihon-no-kata (0:39), another view (0:46), left hand details (0:56), “if you have short arms…” (1:53), “the one-armed Mongolian” (3:07), an escape from kata-ha-jime (3:27) and “Riki sensei prefers nage-waza” (4:41). These are publisher cues, not timestamps we checked.

The longest chapter is about the left hand, which matches where most practical questions sit: how the hand gets under the armpit and behind the neck without the arm being clamped. The short-arms chapter is a useful prompt if your right hand cannot reach the lapel high enough; bring it to your coach rather than guessing the fix. The escape chapter is discussed in section 8.

03 / WHEN TO APPLY IT

Look for a reachable lapel and a left arm that leaves the body

Kataha-jime needs two things at once: a position behind uke with your right hand able to take the left lapel, and uke’s left elbow away from the ribs so that your left arm can get underneath it. The second condition is what makes it different from other rear strangles. If uke keeps the left elbow glued to the side, the wing cannot be lifted and another choice is usually better.

Uke reaches or posts with the left hand

From behind a turtled or seated uke, watch the left hand. Uke may post it on the mat to push up, reach back to grip your sleeve, or lift it to strip your right hand from the collar. Each of those moves opens the left armpit. If your right hand already holds the lapel, that opening is the moment for the left arm to go under.

Uke defends okuri-eri-jime by guarding the right lapel

When you threaten okuri-eri-jime, your left hand needs uke’s right lapel. A defender who protects that lapel with both hands has to raise the elbows to do it. Your right-hand grip is unchanged, so the left hand can stop chasing the lapel and go behind the neck instead. Section 7 sets this out as a sequence.

Seated with you behind

The Kodokan demonstration starts from a seated uke, which is also the clearest position for learning. Uke’s trunk is upright, both of uke’s hands are visible, and the coach can see your hands from the side and from behind.

When it is not available

If uke is facing you, you are not behind, and the definition does not apply. If the left elbow is clamped to the ribs and uke’s chin is down on your right forearm, prying the arm upward turns the attempt into a wrestle for the shoulder. If uke’s jacket is pulled open or the lapel is out of reach, the right-hand grip that anchors the strangle is missing. In each case, keep the back and choose differently: hadaka-jime if the neck is open but the lapel is not, okuri-eri-jime if both lapels are available and the arm stays down, or a turnover to a hold.

04 / HOW IT WORKS

Lapel, wing, back of the hand, then two opposing actions

The IJF definition gives the hands and the direction of force. It does not give a lapel height, a hand angle or a body position for tori; those come from your coach and, where visible, the demonstration. Each stage below has a check that uke can report before any pressure is applied.

1. Settle behind uke before either hand moves

   Your chest should be against uke’s upper back with your knees or hips close enough that uke cannot simply rotate to face you. In the Kodokan clip tori is higher than the seated uke, which lets tori’s arms come down onto the neck and shoulder rather than reaching across. Check: uke tries a slow half-turn to the left, the direction of the arm that you are about to lift. If you have to let go to stay behind, the position comes first.

2. Right arm across the neck to the left lapel

   Bring the right arm over uke’s right shoulder so the forearm lies across the front of the neck, and take uke’s left lapel with the right hand. The clip shows the grip high on the lapel, close to the collar. A low grip leaves slack in the jacket that has to be taken up before anything happens. Check: before pressure, uke confirms the forearm is across the throat line and not on the jaw, and your coach confirms the hand holds cloth, not just fingertips over the edge.

3. Left arm under the left armpit: lifting the wing

   Slide the left arm in under uke’s left armpit from behind. As it travels upward, uke’s left arm rises with it; in the demonstration uke’s left hand ends up pointing up, beside the head. The lift is a by-product of the left hand travelling to the neck, not a separate shoulder action. Check: uke reports the shoulder as raised but comfortable. Any pinch or twisting at the shoulder means stop and reset, because kataha-jime is a strangle, not a lock on the shoulder joint.

4. Back of the left hand against the back of the neck

   The left hand finishes behind uke’s neck with its back, not its palm, against the neck. Your coach will show the hand height and whether the fingers point upward or across. The demonstration’s rear view is the best reference for this placement. Check: uke says where the back of the hand is. “On my head” or “low on my upper back” means the hand has not reached the neck yet.

5. Pull with the right, push with the left, slowly

   The definition names the two actions: pull with the right hand, push with the left. The right hand draws the lapel; the back of the left hand pushes from behind the neck. Uke’s neck sits between them. Raise both together from almost nothing so uke can tap long before pressure is strong. Check: uke’s head stays close to its normal alignment. If the head is being folded forward towards the chest or twisted, the push is going into the neck joints rather than into the strangle line. Release and reset.

6. Release, with the trapped arm in mind

   Uke’s left arm is held up, so uke usually has only the right hand to tap, and that hand may be busy on your right wrist. Before each round agree that a foot tap or a spoken “stop” counts as a tap; under the IJF rules a submission can be signalled by tapping with the hand or foot or by saying “maitta”. On any signal, or any doubt, open the right hand and take the left hand away from the neck at once. If uke stops responding, release immediately and call the coach.

What closes uke’s escape paths: chest contact stops uke turning in; the high lapel grip stops uke dropping the chin under the arm; the lifted left arm stops uke using that elbow to clamp or turn; and the left hand behind the neck stops uke from pulling the head back out of the lapel line. Each control can fail independently, which is why the problems below are separated.

05 / KEY POINTS

Four checks for moving rounds

The checks above are for a still partner. These cues are for rounds where uke moves. Take one per session.

1. The lapel grip is in before the left arm goes under

   Check: record each attempt as “lapel first” or “arm first”. When the left arm goes in without the right-hand anchor, uke can lower the elbow and turn away. Count how often each order produces a stable wing.

2. The left arm enters on uke’s movement, not against it

   Check: uke reports after the round whether you lifted an arm that was moving up (a post, a reach, a strip) or pried one that was clamped. Prying should become rarer each session.

3. Back of the hand, not palm, against the neck

   Check: the coach looks from behind for three repetitions. A palm on the neck tends to grab or press with the fingers, which changes the action and is not the IJF description.

4. Both hands rise together, uke’s head stays aligned

   Check: filmed from the side, the head should not fold forward before uke feels the lapel. If the head folds first, the left hand is pushing ahead of the right-hand pull.

06 / PROBLEMS & ADJUSTMENTS

Why does your kataha-jime fail?

Look for the first control that broke. In this technique the order is lapel, wing, hand, pressure; a failure later in the chain often started earlier.

07 / SETUPS & STRANGLE CHOICES

Choose by what uke does with the left arm and the right lapel

Kataha-jime, okuri-eri-jime and hadaka-jime can begin from the same back position. The right arm across the neck is common to all three, so the decision is made by the left hand, based on what uke offers. Each sequence lists the start, the first action, uke’s response, the next action and when to stop.

Write down the response you actually got each time. After a few sessions it shows which branch your partners give you most often.

08 / DEFENCES & ESCAPES

Keep the wing down, guard the collar, then face tori

Treat defence in three layers: prevention (do not let the wing be lifted), defence (stop pressure once grips are on) and escape (leave the back position). The coaching video has a chapter titled “an escape from kata-ha-jime”; since we have not reviewed its content, ask your coach which escape they teach.

Prevention: elbows in when tori is behind

When tori is on your back, keep your elbows close to your ribs and your hands near your collar. Posting the left hand on the mat or reaching back to grab tori are natural reactions, but each one opens the armpit that kataha-jime needs. Turtle with the elbows in contact with the knees, as your coach shows.

Defence: the right-hand grip is the anchor

For our right-sided convention, tori’s right hand on your left lapel is what makes the strangle work. Use your free right hand to control that wrist or pull the lapel away from the neck. Keep your chin low against tori’s right forearm. Do not try to force the lifted left arm down against tori’s shoulder at full strength; once the wing is up, moving the arm hard can load your own shoulder. Grabbing or bending tori’s fingers is not a judo defence.

Escape: turn when the back contact weakens

The escape aims to face tori or reach a position where tori is no longer behind you. The direction to turn depends on where tori’s weight is and which arm is trapped, so learn the route from your coach. If pressure rises during the escape, tap with the foot or say “stop”; the escape drill is not a test of endurance.

Counters and exposure

Escaping the back can give you a top position. Treat that as a new positional task. Never use a counter that drives tori’s head, twists a trapped limb or falls back onto tori with your weight on the neck.

09 / TRANSITIONS AROUND THE BACK

How groundwork reaches the wing, and where it goes next

Kataha-jime is usually a choice made from a back position that was reached some other way. The useful question is how you got there and what remains available afterwards.

From a turtle after an attack

When uke goes to hands and knees, move behind rather than staying at the side. Take the left lapel with the right hand as early as you can: it is the grip that every one of the three rear strangles needs, so it costs you nothing while you wait to see what uke’s left arm does.

From a hold when uke turns away

Uke escaping a hold such as kata-gatame or kesa-gatame may turn onto the front. During the turn, uke often posts a hand to rise. If you can follow with your chest onto the back while uke’s left hand is on the mat, the armpit is open. If you arrive late, the elbow is usually back against the ribs and okuri-eri-jime or a re-pin is more realistic.

From the strangle to a hold

If uke frees the neck and rolls onto the back, release completely, then build a hold with its own controls. The trapped arm is not a handle for turning uke over.

When the wing comes down

If uke manages to lower the left arm while your right hand keeps the lapel, you still have the okuri-eri-jime branch from section 7. If the right-hand grip is gone as well, re-establish back control before trying anything.

For session design that links these positions, see the ne-waza drills guide and the ne-waza training plan.

10 / POSITIONAL ROUNDS

From a seated placement drill to a live choice

Add one difficulty at a time and agree the stop signals, including a foot tap, before each stage. Durations are editorial suggestions to adapt with your coach.

1. Seated placement, no pressure

   Uke sits with legs extended, as in the Kodokan clip. Tori takes the lapel, lifts the wing and places the back of the left hand. Uke reports each contact point in turn. Progress when uke reports the lapel across the front of the neck and the back of the hand on the neck, three times in a row, without shoulder discomfort.

2. Light application and the release drill

   Tori applies slowly; uke signals early, alternating hand tap, foot tap and spoken “stop” so tori learns all three. The coach watches the time from signal to full release. Progress only when every release is immediate.

3. Arm-reaction drill from the turtle

   Uke turtles. Tori holds the lapel only. On the coach’s call, uke makes one agreed arm movement (post, reach back or guard the collar), and tori decides: wing if the left elbow lifts, lapel route if it stays down. No pressure is applied; the task is the decision. Count correct choices.

4. Constrained resistance

   Uke defends with an agreed defence and may lower the arm with moderate effort. Tori may complete the strangle at controlled intensity. Record three outcomes separately: wing established, wing lost, back lost.

5. Start from a hold

   Begin in a hold; uke escapes by turning away. Tori follows to the back and plays stage 4. This tests whether you can arrive in time for the open armpit.

When a stage works with one partner, change one variable only: a different build at the same resistance first, then the same partner with a freer defence.

Who supervises: a coach who can see both players. Without one, stay with stages 1 and 3, which use no pressure.

11 / COMPETITION REPLAYS

Two IJF listings, and the rule points that matter

On October 14, 2026 the IJF Kataha-jime technique page showed no “most used by judoka” athlete ranking (“No videos available!”), but it linked competition-level selections tagged with the technique. We opened two. Unlike the athlete pages used in some of our other guides, these competition listings name both contestants without stating which one performed the tagged action. We have not watched the footage, and we have not verified who applied it, whether it scored or when it happened.

Düsseldorf Grand Slam 2019: Mogushkov vs Ebinuma

The IJF kataha-jime selection for Düsseldorf 2019 lists Musa Mogushkov (RUS, white) against Masashi Ebinuma (JPN, blue).

Osaka Grand Slam 2019: Coughlan vs Puche

The IJF kataha-jime selection for Osaka 2019 lists Maeve Coughlan (AUS, white) against Isabel Puche (ESP, blue).

The same technique page also lists selections from other Grand Prix and Grand Slam events between 2016 and 2019 and from the Lima World Championships Cadets 2024 (two videos). We did not open those clips.

Viewing questions

1. Who and how: which athlete is behind? Note it before anything else, since the listing does not say.
2. Before the grips: did the back come from a throw, a turtle, or a turn away from a hold?
3. The wing: what made the defender’s arm rise: a post, a reach, a lapel defence?
4. The left hand: can you see its back against the neck, or is it holding cloth (which would suggest another strangle)?
5. The ending: tap, referee intervention or break. Record only what you see.

Rule points we verified

We read the official IJF SOR Refereeing Rules PDF in the version the IJF lists as 21.01.2026 (checked October 14, 2026). In that version: a contestant gives up by tapping twice or more with the hand or foot or by saying “maitta” (Article 14); applying shime-waza with the belt, the bottom of the jacket or “using only the fingers” is a shido (Article 18.1.2, point 23; point 24 in the March 12, 2024 edition); a strangle from the standing position is stopped with mate, and the current text adds that shido will be given (Article 11.2(g)); and any action that may endanger the opponent’s neck or spinal vertebrae is hansoku-make (Article 18.2.2, point 7(a); point 8 in the 2024 edition). Article 20 adds that a cadet who loses consciousness during shime-waza cannot continue in the competition. Remember that national and youth rules may differ.

12 / VARIATIONS & COMPARISONS

Kataha-jime among the Kodokan strangles

Not a variation of okuri-eri-jime: the first two steps match, which is why coaches often teach the two together, but the Kodokan names them separately. If the left hand grips a lapel, it is no longer kataha-jime in the IJF sense.

Starting position changes the task, not the name: seated (as demonstrated), turtled or from a turn away from a hold all end in the same hand positions, but uke’s left arm behaves differently in each. On the knees, the arm is often on the mat and lifts when uke posts or rises; seated, it is free and tends to reach for your hand. Practise them as separate drills.

Informal names: “single wing choke” is the common English rendering; “chicken wing” appears in one coaching description and can mean an arm position in other grappling arts. Check what your coach means before assuming it is the same technique.